To save the life of the farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on fast unto death since November 26 last year, central govt should hold talks with struggling farmers organizations; raising the demand Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) Maha Panchayat held at Moga, Punjab on Thursday said that the draft National Policy Framework for Agriculture Marketing is a dangerous form of re-enforcing the repealed 3 black Farm Laws and it should be withdrawn immediately.
Noticing that the central government is not heeding towards the life of the farmer leader, whose breath line is hanging on a thread, and any untoward incident may happen any time, the major farmers’ unions under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) have decided to launch an agitational program.
SKM strongly asserted that it is the central govt, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chauhan who are responsible for the present impasse and condition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death. SKM appealed to the central govt that to save the life of Dallewal they should hold talks with the struggling organizations. The Morcha warned the central govt that if anything untoward happens to Sri Dallewal, it will take strong action.
Having no personal interest, Dallewal is fighting for the common cause. Whether he will survive or not, but a stigma will stick forever on the face of the present government, the democratic institutions and the people responsible for turning no ear towards the issue, if something untoward happens with his life.
The farmer leader, Jagjit Singh Dallewal is on fast-unto-death since November 26 for the lifeline demands of the farmers, including MSP; more than one and half month has gone past, but the central government, the only capable authority to fulfil the demands of the farmers, is behaving like a deaf and dumb clay sculpture.
Not to talk about the acceptance of the demands, the BJP led government not even extending hand to start a dialogue to resolve the issue. It seems to be taking the cover of the supreme court, as is evident that its union minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan says that they will follow the court directions.
Media reports quote that Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 1 said the government will abide by the Supreme Court’s decision on the ongoing farmers protest at Punjab-Haryana border and will take steps accordingly.
Here arises a question—Whether the government is not competent to take decisions on such issues or the court will have to take notice and decision in each and every executive work?
However, keeping in mind the stack of a precious life, the honourable supreme court is monitoring the Dallewal’s health issue and constituted a high-power committee, which on January 6 met the fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, but the farmer leader declined the medical aid.
Rather, the farmer leader Dallewal, who is camping at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana, as per media reports, requested that the committee should press the Supreme Court for a direction to the Centre: “I respect Justice Surya Kant but how do I ask him why he does not give any direction to the Centre, when our issue is to be sorted by Centre? When the Punjab Advocate General (AG) asks him to direct the Centre, then Surya Kant ji does not listen. The Union Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) says if the SC tells them, they will comply with orders. If SC is not ready to give this direction to the Centre, then we do not have hope from anywhere.”
The farmer unions associated with Dallewal are clearly demanding that Dallewal will be ready to accept the medical aid, if the central government starts a dialogue.
India Today web portal on 31st December reported that the Punjab government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court of a proposal that farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite fast since November 26, would accept medical aid if the Centre spoke to the protesting farmers.
Shouldn’t the supreme court, as requested by Dallewal, direct the central government to have a dialogue with the agitating farmers?
Doesn’t the response of the fasting leader to the high-power committee appeal to the court – “I respect Justice Surya Kant but how do I ask him why he does not give any direction to the Centre, when our issue is to be sorted by Centre?” Will the court heed towards the feeble but logical voice of the farmer leader?
Why is the centre not taking the agitation of the farmers seriously?
The farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Majdoor Morcha (KMM) are agitating at Punjab-Haryana border at two places since February 13, 2024 and the farmer leader Dallewal is on hunger strike since November 26, but the central government is not heeding the voice of the farmers. Why it is not holding a dialogue with the agitating farmers, when it is clearly visible that the life of the fasting farmer can be saved by just holding a dialogue? Shouldn’t the Prime Minister himself come into the fore? Shouldn’t he intervene?
The Indian express web portal on January 6, 2025 quotes the case of hunger strike of Mamta Banerjee back in 2006, wherein to resolve the issue the then President and Prime Minister both appealed Mamta Banerjee to call off the fast.
